Andrea Jennings-Sanders

Clients with Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) have nausea and/or vomiting that prevents adequate intake of food and fluids. A client could have weight loss, dehydration, nutritional deficiencies, metabolic deficiencies, difficulty with daily activities, psychosocial stress and depression. Managing a client at home with HG is very complex and requires a multidisciplinary approach.

African American women utilize mammography services less than white women, resulting in higher mortality rates for this population. The concept of self efficacy has predicted mammography screening behaviors. Thus, the purpose of this pilot descriptive study was to measure self efficacy for mammography screening in older African American women. Results from the study illustrated that older African American women had low self efficacy with regards to mammography screening. Knowing the needs, understanding the fears, and working on solutions as it relates to self efficacy and mammography screening may increase mammography screening rates and decrease breast cancer mortality rates for this population.

Breast cancer mortality rates for older women increase dramatically with age. This descriptive study assessed the knowledge of breast self-exams (BSEs) via pre-tests and post-tests in older African-American women (> 60) at an initial session (Time 1), and then again at a follow-up session (Time 2) two months later. A sample of 57 older African-American women living in inner city apartment buildings participated in the study. There were significant differences between pre-test Time 1 and post-test Time 1 (p = .000) and pre-test Time 2 and post-test Time 2 (p = .000). In addition, a significant difference was detected between pre-test Time 1 and pre-test Time 2 (p = .039). Additionally, a content analysis revealed what factors would influence older African-American women to continue to perform BSEs in the future. Providing BSE education to older African-American women may be useful in decreasing mortality rates for breast cancer.

To describe how nurse case managers care for older women with breast cancer. A randomized, prospective trial. Thirteen community hospitals and two public hospitals in southeastern Texas. 335 older women aged 60-89 years newly diagnosed with breast cancer and being cared for by 60 surgeons. Most participants were Caucasian. A total of 166 women were in the control group, and 159 were in the intervention nurse case management group. The nurses implemented multiple nursing interventions in each nursing process phase over a period of 12 months. Independent variables were participants' demographic characteristics, depressive symptomatology, and cognitive impairment. Nurse case management contact was a dependent variable. In each nursing phase, a greater number of nurse case management contacts were made in the first quarter. Bivariate analysis illustrated statistical differences among race, income, education, and living alone with respect to the mean amount of nurse case management. Multivariate analysis revealed that age, income, living alone, and stage of cancer predicted more nurse case management contact. Nurse case managers may play a role in helping older women with breast cancer achieve positive health outcomes. Based on the findings of this study, nurses can develop specific nursing interventions to meet the needs of older women with breast cancer. Nurses can use the Model of Nurse Case Management to plan and manage care for older women with breast cancer.

Unhealthy behaviors are responsible for high morbidity and mortality rates among older African Americans. For some older African Americans, changing unhealthy behaviors may be difficult to achieve due to limited knowledge and access to preventative health care services. Health fairs are just one venue of examining health promotion behaviors and providing health promotion information to older African Americans. The purpose of this article is to report the health promotion behaviors of older African Americans as a result of conducting two health fairs. The Transtheoretical Model served as the framework for examining health behavior change among older African Americans. Nursing implications will be discussed.